Ever since
becoming a Christian at the age of sixteen, I have felt and experienced a
looming conflict between the Church and the many forces,
particularly cultural, that have most recently been making a concerted effort
at eliminating Christian thought from the public discourse.
For the
past four years at university, I have continually experienced a discontentment
in my soul towards the prevailing attitudes and cultural forces expressed by my
peers. I am not going to lie. There was a sense of self-righteousness during
the earlier years of my faith, but this feeling of ‘something array’ persists
with a more righteous indignation as I have come to know more of my own sin. It
was frustrating and disheartening at what I noticed around me in the culture. I
was secure in my faith. My love for Jesus has increased since the day he
plucked me from the fire of my hatred towards Him and others. Why was it that
this generation, my generation, was veering away at an increasing pace from the
truth, hope, and love that I found in Christ?
I began my
informal investigation in the works of political and moral philosophy, hoping
to find some hidden truth that would reveal where the Church had failed to show
the world the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. I studied such beautiful
theology that has benefited me immensely in my walk with Christ, and believed
it possible to retreat from the world in the blissful contemplation of God. This
has proven to be an alluring mistake. A couple of glaring truths have shown
themselves in these years of study: Our society is indeed moving in the
direction of advanced hostility and possible persecution, and many who have
called themselves the people of God are fleeing from the life that Christ has
called them to live in some way or another.
In The Cost of Discipleship Bonhoeffer says,
‘when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die’. Let me ask you reader: Are
you willing to die with Christ in the fellowship of crucified believers? Are
you prepared to live a life totally given over to the direction of Him who
called you out of death? If you are of like-mind, please join with me in prayer
for our friends, leaders, relatives, and ourselves as we seek to give our whole
lives in faithful obedience to Christ.
Throughout
the next year, I will be reviewing a number of classical and contemporary
Christian works that will hopefully inspire and encourage you to walk with
Christ in this culture of death. In the next couple of days I will upload my
review and thoughts on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship. I hope you will join me in thoughtful
discussion these next twelve months.
